The baseball team came out on opposite ends of two pitching duels in its doubleheader at Roger Williams University Saturday, losing 2-0 in the first game, but blanking the Hawks 1-0 in game two. The Judges are now 5-4 on the season."Our hitting wasn't on, but our pitching definitely was," reliever Mike Dax '08 said. "We ended up splitting the games even though we weren't playing our best baseball."

Rookie catcher Artie Posch '10 provided late-inning heroics for Brandeis in the second game. In the top of the ninth of a scoreless extra-inning game, Posch connected for an RBI double to drive in Nick Gallagher '09 for the winning run.

"Both games [Saturday] we were missing that one big hit, and [Posch] came up with it," Dax said.

Rookie pitcher Drew Brzozowski '10 pitched 6.1 innings in the game, with eight hits, five strikeouts and one walk to shrink his ERA to 0.55.

Dax picked up the win with a 1-2-3 eighth-inning, and James Collins '09 notched his second save of the season.

Roger Williams sophomore starting pitcher James Lydon allowed just two hits in a complete-game shutout of the Judges in the first game, striking out six and walking one. Only three Judges reached second base.

Starter Tyler Robinson '08 went 5.1 innings for Brandeis, giving up five hits and two runs while striking out five. He fell to 1-2 on the season with a 5.68 ERA.

These games presented a stark contrast to the Judges' season-opening Florida road trip last week, during which they turned nearly every contest into an offensive outburst.

After the team scored 55 runs in seven games in Florida, it managed just one run in Saturday's doubleheader.

"We have to be able to score more than one run against a team like [Roger Williams]," designated hitter Mike Alfego '09 said.

Alfego also said that part of Saturday's offensive woes could be attributed to the Judges' inability to adapt to playing conditions that weren't conducive to high scoring.

"There was a lot of wind coming off the water, and we just put the ball in the air too much," Alfego said. "We should have kept it on the ground more."

Roger Williams' coach Derek Carlson graduated from Brandeis in 1991, playing baseball under Coach Pete Varney and serving as his assistant from 1991-1996.

"Because their coach played under ours, our systems are very similar," Alfego said.

The Judges' rookies have carried them so far this season. Posch has been the team's primary offensive force, batting .355 with 11 hits, two home runs and eight RBIs.

"[Posch] has a huge leadership position on the field," Alfego said.

Brzozowski has allowed just two runs in 16.1 innings of work, with 10 strikeouts and just one walk.

"[Brzozowski] goes after hitters so well," Dax said. "If he continues like this, he will have a very strong season."

The Judges will play a three-game homestand this week, facing off against Wheaton Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., Salve Regina University Wednesday at 3 p.m. and Springfield College Thursday at 3 p.m.